


The Legend of the Tangled Lions

by tootsonnewts



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: High Fantasy AU, Kinda, M/M, keith and hunk are in love and hardcore and perfect, sorry about that tragic ending, think game of thrones but with none of the icky stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 09:03:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16215821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tootsonnewts/pseuds/tootsonnewts
Summary: The epics will tell you that the Tangled Lions originated from opposite ends of the heavens, two gods destined to meet and shape the future of the world. They will speak of two brave warriors sent from on high to rescue humanity in their time of greatest need. They will say that their constellation hangs bright in the sky to this day, as it was the only way the Gods could repay their sacrifice. This is true. It is also not.





	The Legend of the Tangled Lions

**Author's Note:**

> this was written for a zine that was unfortunately canceled.  
> it was a joy to write this story, though, and i'm so excited to share it!
> 
> i've always wanted to explore fantasy and some heavy angst.  
> i hope you enjoy!

The epics will tell you that the Tangled Lions originated from opposite ends of the heavens, two gods destined to meet and shape the future of the world. They will speak of two brave warriors sent from on high to rescue humanity in their time of greatest need. They will say that their constellation hangs bright in the sky to this day, as it was the only way the Gods could repay their sacrifice. This is true. It is also not.

You see, the Tangled Lions, the destined warriors, were nothing more than men when they were born. Much like all men, they had their strengths and weaknesses, truths and secrets, dreams and desires. Above all of these things, both were bound to service in the name of a queen. This queen, Allura of Altea, kept her closest and most trusted paladins - known as the Lions of Altea - nearby at all times. These Lions were assigned a color, denoting their focus and specialty.

The Black Lion, Takashi of house Shirogane, was the Queen’s right hand and wisest advisor. He was calm and considerate, well-known for his critical abilities in negotiations and agreements. Many rumors surrounded his most notable feature, a metallic right arm imbued with a deep and mysterious magick, although none were ever confirmed. This, however, is a story for another time.

The Green Lion, Katherine “Pidge” of house Holt, served as the Altean Kingdom’s resident horticulturist and the youngest citizen in service to the crown. Many suspected she was touched with the gift, but none could confirm. This was a secret she and the other Lions took to the grave, a precious piece of knowledge only shared with those who must know.

The Blue Lion, Lance of clan McClain, stood alone as the Queen’s only water mage and favored partner. This was of particular advantage to the Kingdom of Altea, as it resided along a healthy trading coastline, bolstered by its ability to export fine goods and a specific material for transmutation known as quintessence. Blue Lion McClain held the unique ability to control the movement of water and communicate with the creatures within. Many would speculate as to the depths of his abilities, but none would know the truth but himself and the queen.

The Red Lion, Keith of house Kogane, served as Queen Allura of Altea’s most severe warrior. His fiercest loyalty was openly declared and viciously demonstrated. He was known for his swift decision-making and cool calculation in the face of adversity. His ferocity on the battlefield was legendary among not only his own kingdom, but many kingdoms spread throughout the realm. As luck would have it, these skills originated from a parentage that was as much a mystery to him as any other. This reputation preceded Red Lion Kogane, often leading to tangles and skirmishes he would much rather avoid. He was an innately peaceful man, if not a smidgen awkward.

The Yellow Lion, Hunk of clan Garrett, was a traveling alchemist favored by the queen and the Red Lion’s bound husband. He roamed the lands in search of exotic and rare ingredients for his concoctions, as well as others of his like from which he could learn new tricks and transmutations. His specialty was truth-seeking, although he was no slouch at remedies, which would serve his kingdom well during times of war. His adeptness and giving nature built an air of mystique about his name, such that many whispers could be heard in his wake as he traipsed through towns and cities. None knew of his origins - only his existence - and although he was an outgoing man, he much preferred the obfuscation.

To the north of Altea lay a sprawling land ruled by fierce and jealous royalty. This land was known as the Galran Wastes. The name was a misnomer as the Galran Empire stood, far and away, larger than any other in the known realms. The Galra were a cruel people, cunning and cold in their pursuit of total domination. They were master craftsmen, engineers of technology and machinery far beyond any imagination. This technology was fueled by a mystical source - quintessence. Unfortunately, this material did not reside naturally in Galran land. It had been drained thousands of years in the past by an ancient witch, both feared and regarded as the mother of all Galra. She was elevated to goddess status in the eyes of her people, although this was ultimately a falsehood.

In order to power their machines of war, the Galra conquered all in their reach. Kingdoms fell and land was razed in service of this agenda. Entire peoples were enslaved, tortured, forced into cruel conditions for the amusement of the family and generals of the cruel Emperor Zarkon.

Eventually, each kingdom in the realm fell, as if dominoes, to Zarkon’s absolute power.

All but one.

Many tales will ignore the role Allura’s heritage played in this legend. Many will ignore her lineage. These tales are incomplete. You see, Allura of Altea was sired by King Alfor. This is not unusual, all people have sires of some variety. However, King Alfor’s blood was special. It was said that King Alfor served a personal favor directly to the Gods, rescuing a precious item with his own hands to return to them on high. Because of this he was blessed, his bloodline infused with a protective magick that would encase their lands so long as royal blood remained within their borders.

Alfor and Zarkon were best friends as young men. Their families held close counsel with each other, and as boys, they often adventured the lands together in search of new challenges and quests to conquer. Zarkon stood by Alfor the day he accepted the Gods’ quest. He watched from the sidelines as Alfor toiled and struggled, shed blood and tears, all in the name of completing his task.

Zarkon stood in the shadows of the Mountain of Gods as Alfor ascended to take his prize. When Alfor of Altea knelt to receive his blessing, something inside Zarkon of Galra splintered. He was ruined by jealousy, his soul cracked in half and rotting. On that day, he swore revenge for being forgotten by the Gods. He wrote down his knowledge of the events that transpired, the weakness of the Gods’ blessing upon house Altea, and his plans for retribution. This knowledge, he bound in a book and retained until the time was right, unwittingly witnessed by the Fates.

The Fates are a temperamental bunch. Their proclivities shift and change as swiftly as the breeze and none but the Gods can deduce their motivations. There is no rhyme or reason to their choices and desires, only consequence and results. Our tale begins with the Fates. Our tale begins with a choice.

The land of Balmera fell under the force of the Galran Empire, and with it, the penultimate barrier between house Galra and total domination of the realm. A spryhawk delivered the news to Queen Allura in the castle gardens, whilst conveniently surrounded by her trusted paladins.

Along with the news, a letter of demand: the Queen must surrender control of Altea or the Galra would have their highest ranking druids break her spell of protection over the city. Their ancient witch would come for her directly. Her Lions roared and argued, there was no way for a mortal to break a blessing from the Gods, they beseeched.  _ This ransom must not be met! _

Queen Allura knew, however, the depth of power and depravity the royal witch held. She knew the types of spirit magick she could perform. She had three months to decide, and though it was presented as a choice, Allura knew that it was not. She declared her intentions to accept the letter’s terms and swept from the gardens in silence.

The Lions of Altea did not hold their positions without reason. They were determinedly loyal and devastatingly protective, not just over their queen, but over their kingdom as a whole. Often, they drew upon this strength to counsel among themselves and come to decisions as to how they would proceed. In this instance, there was no wavering. The Red Lion set a fire between them, and they spoke well into the night.

Come morning, the decision was made. The Red and Yellow Lions would leave the kingdom in search of allies whilst Lions Black, Green, and Blue would remain behind, fortifying and motivating all others to take up arms for their queen. As the Red and Yellow Lions packed their bags and made plans in hushed, affectionate speech, the Fates watched on curiously.

Whenever a mortal makes a choice to tie themselves to another touched by magic, their actions are watched by the Gods and the Fates. As the couple set out on their quest, the Fates flipped a coin. It landed on the edge.

The lands surrounding Altea were unique and varied, each kingdom caring for its people in its own way. To the east, where the couple began, lay the Kingdom of Balmera. Its rulers were known for their steadfastness and unwavering dedication to their land and people. Although an alliance with Altea had been struck many centuries prior, they were still hesitant to accept the queen’s hand-delivered message.

Still, once their greatest general, Shay, came to greet the two Lions and hear their story, their arms were immediately promised to the cause. Many moons had passed since the Balmeran’s last tangle with the Galran rulers, but the memories and effects remained as fresh as though they had just met on yesterday’s battlefield. Old wounds remained open, and the Balmeran were determined to seal them, once and for all. So with their dedication of steel and horses confirmed, the Lions bid farewell and journeyed on.

To the south resided the land of Arus, inhabited by the several linked tribes of nomadic Arusians. They were a unique people, small and full of bright, bountiful energy and life. They were not of fighting stock, instead tending to fields and livestock as they moved throughout the countryside. The Arusian people were a nervous sort, strained about the edges by the rumours of impending war.  Still, they were ruled by a benevolent king, and one who would seek to keep the peace for his lands.

The Lions spent a moon with the Arusians, Hunk showing them his finest work with earth manipulation. He assisted the king with crafting new tools to tend the soil and new fittings for their horses. When the Arusian harvests burst forth, he dug his fingers deep into the soil and crafted the finest potions and ethers he could create. This swayed the people, and the Lions rode forth from the lands, promises of sustenance and travel routes at their backs.

Their final destination would prove considerably more difficult, however. Far across the sea to the east resided their most vital goal, the Kingdom of Olkarion. With the Olkari, the Lions hoped to find the one thing they needed most: the knowledge needed to unseat the Galran Emperor and his witch right hand.

Fate on the edge of a coin is a mysterious thing. A coin cannot balance forever, after all. Eventually, a breeze will blow from the end of the world and a decision will be made. As the Red and Yellow Lions journeyed quietly across the choppy seas on a ramshackle ship, the winds blew harshly and knocked their coin aside.

The Fates, seeing their ease of travel thus far, decided it was time for the Queen’s Lions to prove themselves worthy.

In the dead of night, in the middle of the sea, the salty water churned and boiled. Storm clouds tore through the skies overhead, raining down lightning and destruction, whipping the boat with howling winds and rains. A great whirlpool opened beneath the ship, yawning wide from deep below. From within the whirlpool emerged a beast, a giant snake-like creature with great wings aside its head. As it broke the surface of the water, it opened its colossal maw, hissing and spitting forth a shower of acid. The boat melted and cracked beneath the substance, her masts swayed and fell.

As frantic crew scrambled over the ship, Keith saw an opening. Shouting reassurances and commands, he made his way to the steering wheel at the bow. With a great heave, he turned the massive ship about in her path. Hunk organized the crew according to Keith’s demand, and when the time was right, they drove the ship forward, plunging their broken mast into the belly of the beast, splitting it wide and spilling its innards across the sea.

As the life left the creature’s eyes, the waters began to calm. Seeing their resolve and dedication, the Fates allowed the Lions safe passage.

They would find great reception in the Kingdom of Olkarion. Having been sent word of the great Lion’s travels, the Olkari people had long since decided to welcome and aid the Altean travelers. Upon their landing, the Lions found themselves enveloped in celebration. Feasting and dancing surrounded them, spurred on by the Kingdom’s great leaders. 

The Olkari were renowned for their abilities. The world’s greatest alchemists were bred in the heart of Olkarion’s capital city, and yet there were no tomes in their libraries that could reveal the Galran witch’s weakness. The Lions spent their days buried in ancient scrolls and texts, great volumes describing the horrors the Galran empire wrought, but still no solution could be found. The final day of their journey quickly arrived, and as the Red and Yellow Lions bid farewell to the Olkarian people until their great duty would be met in but a fortnight, an old crone appeared amongst the crowd.

The crone bid the paladins to her side, whispering of old knowledge she possessed. Although their company advised them against it, warning that trusting her would be unwise, something deep within them said to follow. And so they did.

The crone was the final test of the Fates, sent down to judge whether the Lions could look beyond the surface to the truth within. As Hunk and Keith trailed behind, the old crone’s tattered clothes and tangled hair fell away, revealing a glowing woman, angelic in beauty and powerful in build. She thanked them for their service to the carrier of the God’s favored bloodline and revealed to them the secrets of the Fates. When she finished speaking, the paladins regarded each other quietly, silently agreeing to accept their greatest mission.

The war had already begun by the time the Lion’s ship touched the shores of their home once more.

Their borders smoked and crackled as great fires burned around the kingdom’s walls. The couple breathed a sigh of relief as they realized the fires hadn’t breached; their queen was still safe, she was still home.

With their resolve bolstered by this knowledge, the Red and Yellow Lions rushed to the front lines of the battle astride the kingdom’s most powerful steeds. Many soldiers fell around them as they cut their way forth, besting multiple Galran soldiers as they rode.

As the paladins arrived at their front lines, however, the situation appeared much more bleak. This was foretold to them by the angel of the Fates, but still it remained that watching their countrymen fall upon cursed steel tore deeply at the two. The war surged on around them, the kingdom’s best soldiers frantically slashing and hacking at their unrelenting enemy. As Keith and Hunk took their positions on the battlefield, they surveyed the lines, hoping against hope to see their friends again. In their hour of greatest need, their people deserved to see their mighty Lions fighting alongside them.

Alas, it was not meant to be. The queen needed protecting, distraction, and so it would be that her Red and Yellow Lions went it alone. In their final moments of observance, Keith and Hunk held each other silently. Surrounded by the churning of bodies and the acrid scent of metallic blood, the two placed their foreheads together and shared a brief prayer that they would see Altea victorious. Prayers completed, the couple opened their eyes to each other one final time.

Then they turned to the fight.

As they stood side by side assessing their next moves, Keith felt a disturbance at his back. Reaching over his shoulder to seek the source, he found a quiver full of arrows. As he withdrew his hand in wonder, a glorious golden bow appeared in his grasp. The wind sang with the promises of the Gods. They had been blessed.

At his hip, Hunk felt a similar weight, although different in form. Reaching down to his belt, the Gods murmured their encouragement and praise as Hunk withdrew a pouch of magickal and blessed herbs and ethers. One final proverb touched the wind, and Hunk knew what he must do.

As the Galran enemy pressed forward, Hunk made quick work, mixing and transmuting herbs and ethers into a powerful poultice, one that would drain the dark essence from any enemy so unfortunate as to cross paths with the compound. Plucking the arrows from his husband’s quiver, Hunk dipped their tips into the poultice, blessing and strengthening them against their target.

With a kiss to his face, Hunk replaced his husband’s arrows and let him go.

Keith surged forward through the crowd, Hunk hot at his heels, dodging and diverting enemies until he reached his final destination. Quickly, he arrived at the heart of the Galran advance, Zarkon and his witch suspended on a platform above the battle. He withdrew an arrow from his quiver, nocking it on the golden string of his bow. As he made to take aim, however, an ancient, rasping voice boomed across the throng.

Zarkon’s witch addressed Keith directly, offering him sweet promises of secrets revealed, of knowledge he’d sought all his life. _Wouldn’t he like to know the truth of his parentage? Wouldn’t he like to know of his Galran mother?_ _Wouldn’t Keith like to join them, take his rightful place as a Prince of Galra?_

The Red Lion stumbled in his steps at the witch’s words. Could it be true? Could he really be one of these monsters? Could he truly have the blood of hatred coursing through his veins?

_ Yes,  _ the Fates whispered on the wind.

_ Yes,  _ the Gods murmured on the breeze. 

_ But this does not define you!  _ his husband shouted at his back.

So Keith glared his defiance at the savage rulers, screamed his anger to the heavens, and let loose his arrow. 

It flew straight and true, rushed along on the wings of blessings and good fortune, and struck deep, piercing directly through the heart of the Galran witch. With a strangled yelp, she fell, crumbling to dust and ash as the life left her ancient bones.

Zarkon roared loud at his loss. In angry retaliation, he launched his sword forward. It whipped forward, end over end, until it struck deep in his target. The Red Lion spun around on his heels as he watched its path. It flew as if in slow motion, past Keith’s head, away from where he stood, landing with horrifying precision into the chest of his love. 

Hunk’s eyes widened in surprise, hand rising to grip at the hilt of the sword impaling his body. The sword was imbued with dark magick, however. In one final act of cruelty, the witch’s spell spread through Hunk’s body in great black streaks, suffocating him and snuffing his light.

With a cry of despair, Keith turned, plunging through the Emperor’s guard, lobbing arrow after arrow until his last met its target, lancing through the neck of Emperor Zarkon. Zarkon fell from his perch on high, dead before he hit the ground. Upon seeing his demise, his forces scattered in fear of Keith and his power.

But it was too late.

In his haste to end the Emperor’s treachery, Keith had become vulnerable. His body riddled with arrows, Keith stumbled back across the blood-soaked battlefield to his husband’s side. With his waning strength, the Red Lion lay down on the trampled grass, curling himself around his husband’s body in a final act of devotion.

The Gods witnessed all from above, solemnly viewing the sacrifice made to protect their blessing. As the final breath passed Keith’s lips, the Gods retrieved the coin of Fate and made a choice of their own. 

Once the kingdom was repaired, Queen Allura and her remaining paladins set flame to their funeral pyre. The Gods reached down with gentle hands, lifting their essence to the sky.

As reward for their actions, the Red and Yellow Lions were made stars, a constellation of their story, forever entwined as a mark of their dedication and bravery. To this day, it is said that the warriors watch over Altea from on high, their protection spread out across the land. 

All it takes to witness the proof is to look up to the Tangled Lions.

**Author's Note:**

> hey y'all, come on down and see me over on [tumblr](http://tootsonnewts.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/_tootsonnewts)! i'd love to say hello!


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